


your hand, reaching out

by a_good_kind_robot_of_science



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Character Study, Mentions of Gun Violence, a series of snapshots of bones and his hands, god this is. all about hands, spock shows up a little and jim is just mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:02:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29843964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_good_kind_robot_of_science/pseuds/a_good_kind_robot_of_science
Summary: Dr. McCoy's hands do not shake. Often.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	your hand, reaching out

I. Leo McCoy is six years old and his hands have never shaken not even once and it makes his handwriting impeccable even though his spelling and grammar are terrible but his daddy says that the mistakes just add color.

II. A breath in and half a breath out, his mother tells him. Len McCoy is 14 years old and his hands are shaking as he looks through the rifle’s sight at the flimsy paper target. Never put your finger on the trigger until you’re going to shoot, his mother says, and Len tries the breathing trick to steady his hands but they quake like the earth on a fault line. 

III. Leonard McCoy is 26 and, signing the divorce papers, his hands do not shake. He’ll miss Joanna, he thinks numbly as he joins Starfleet. 

IV. Doctor Leonard McCoy is 39 and the CMO of the Enterprise and once again there’s a weapon in his hands and his hands are shaking as he points the phaser towards the creature that’s got Nancy’s face and it’s a miracle (god help him) that he doesn’t hit Jim when he shoots it. His hands shake for a while after that. 

V. Bones is 40 and once again pushing the medical envelope with a ship under attack and an ambassador under heart failure. The Enterprise shudders again, but his hands are steady as he pushes the needle into Spock’s arm. 

VI. Leonard McCoy is 156, a retired admiral, and old as sin. His hand is shaking, fragile as an autumn leaf in the winter wind. Joanna’s visiting tomorrow, something to look forward to. Jim isn’t here, hasn’t been here for nigh upon 20 years, but Spock, still an ambassador, is sitting by his bedside. He takes one of Leonard’s hands, until it stills.


End file.
